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Group Fitness Real Talk
Feel like being a Group Fitness Instructor is a lot tougher than it used to be? You’re not alone! From being thrown into virtual classes to seeing ‘fitness models’ everywhere and watching the rise of the boutique studio, it’s easy to see why you might feel overwhelmed and struggling to find your place as an Instructor. But we’re here to help. Host Will Brereton has worked in Group Fitness for over 20 years as an International Presenter for Les Mills and Beachbody and now runs his own Group Fitness brand SH1FT Fitness. He’s seen it all and he’s ready to get REAL about what it’s like to be a Group Fitness Instructor in 2022. Join Will and as he interviews some of the biggest names in Group Fitness about the topics that others shy away from. Each episode will provide you with tips, advice, stories, inspiration and a lot of real talk to help you not only survive, but thrive in the world of Group Fitness in 2022 and beyond.
Episodes
76 episodes
FREE Certification For Life? The Program That's Disrupting Group Fitness
The group fitness industry is facing a major issue: instructor pay hasn't moved in 20 years, and the cost of learning new programs or formats continues to rise. Today, Will Brereton introduces SkillSync, a revolutionary program from SH1FT Fitne...
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17:43
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Social Media Reality Check: What Actually Works
Social media is warping our perception of what's actually working in fitness classes. One viral clip can make an old-school workout explode overnight, but does that translate to real-world class attendance?Today on the podcast, Will Brer...
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7:01
AI for Instructors: Making Technology Work For You
AI is everywhere in fitness - writing captions, generating workouts, and even creating virtual trainers. But will it replace human instructors? Not likely. What it will do is change how we work.Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explore...
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7:41
Getting Paid What You're Worth: The Instructor Pay Shift
Instructor pay has been stagnant for two decades, but that might finally be changing. Why? Because gyms are dropping expensive licenses and redirecting budgets elsewhere.Today on the podcast, Will Brereton examines the shocking decline i...
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10:23
Live vs Digital: What Members Really Want
Remember when digital fitness was going to take over the world? Fast forward five years, and the reality looks quite different.Today on the podcast, Will Brereton analyzes why digital fitness platforms are struggling while live group cla...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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7:16
Wearables in Group Ex: Turning Member Data Into Better Classes
Wearable tech is everywhere. Smart watches, heart rate monitors, fitness trackers – people are tracking everything from steps to calories to sleep. And if you're teaching group fitness, your participants are bringing that data into your class.<...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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7:01
How Weight Loss Drugs Are Reshaping Fitness
Weight loss drugs are everywhere. Major fitness brands are now integrating GLP-1 weight loss protocols into their services. You've probably already had some clients ask you about them. Does this mean fitness professionals are out o...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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12:20
The Circuit Revival: Why Hybrid Training is Exploding
Circuit training is back, but it's not the same as you remember! Today's circuits blend strength, cardio, and recovery into efficient formats that deliver maximum results in minimum time. But why is this classic format experiencing such a dr...
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12:18
Has Pilates Peaked? The Future of Low-Impact Fitness
Pilates is everywhere. On social media, in high end studios, and dominating ClassPass bookings. But, has it peaked? And if so, what's next for low impact fitness?Today on the podcast, Will Brereton breaks down where low impact ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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8:23
Strength is King: Why You Can’t Ignore This Trend
Strength training isn't just trending—it's DOMINATING the fitness landscape in 2025. The American College of Sports Medicine now ranks traditional strength training as the #1 fitness modality, but what does this mean for group fitness instru...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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8:55
The End of ETM? What Les Mills Change in Direction Means for You
Les Mills is pivoting away from pre choreographed exercise to music, or ETM, formats in a major way. Now this is a huge shift for instructors who rely on these programs. So, what does it mean for you? Is exercise to music dying? And, how sho...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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10:43
The Group Fitness Triple Threat Series
2025 is one of the biggest shakeups we've seen in the Group Fitness industry in a long time. If you're an instructor and you're still teaching the way you did five years ago, you're falling behind. If yo...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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5:18
How to make more money as an instructor in 2024
We ALL live in hope that 2024 will be the year that instructor pay improves. But… this podcast is called group fitness Real Talk, and the real talk is that any big shifts - not matter how well deserved - don’t seem very likely. So h...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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53:35
Pre & Postnatal Fitness - What Every Instructor Should Know
As a GX Instructor, you’ve undoubtedly had pre and postnatal people in your classes. This is why it's important to have a solid foundational knowledge in how to provide these members with a safe and effective workout. In this episode, W...
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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56:49
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What Instructors NEED To Know About Social Media
Today on the podcast, I'm talking with Rachel Holmes about all the things Instructors NEED to know about showing up on social media in 2023. Rachel is both a fixture in the UK fitness circuit and also smashing it on social media right ...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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49:33
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How To Package Your Proposition with Kelly Coulter
Today on the podcast, I'm back with repeat guest, Kelly Coulter. Last time, Kelly came on to talk about the three biggest business building mistakes that Instructors make when they start out teaching online. If you haven’t heard that episode ye...
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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39:42
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The Science Behind Creating A Killer Playlist
This is one of those episodes where we’re going to keep it REAL and hit you right up front. We think that a lot of Instructors listening to this podcast have entirely the wrong idea about rights-included music. We get it! You like t...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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41:08
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Pump No More? The New Rules for Strength Classes
Programming real strength development training in a group fitness setting has always been a challenge. But if you can do it well, it can be the biggest opportunity for you as a group fitness instructor to attract a broad audience of people to y...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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56:37
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Menopause and Fitness: What No One Tells You with Tracy Minnoch
Here at SH1FT Fitness, we like to make sure we are giving our instructors what they want in terms of education, product, as well as the topics they want to hear about on this podcast. We recently conducted a global instructor survey and were re...
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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59:05
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How to be Extraordinary as a GX Instructor with Jayne Nicholls
You may have noticed I took a break from the podcast over the summer to recharge - but I'm back and super excited for the shows we are bringing your way for the rest of 2022. Today's guest, Jayne Nicholls, is a fixture of the UK fit...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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54:48
How to Teach a GREAT Cycling Class with Sarah Stoneley
Here today on the podcast is a cycling expert who you may recognise from our R1DE format, Sarah Stoneley. Sarah is a Master Trainer at 1Rebel and currently the Head of Brand Development for 1Rebel Saudi.I met Sarah back when I was the Ge...
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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1:03:45
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How To Stand Out and Reach More People as a Fitness Instructor
This week, we're doing something a little bit different. We are giving you a bonus episode, and this time, the tables are turned! I’m being interviewed by Ann-See Yeoh, a yoga and mindbody expert and teacher, for a special seminar series she ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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32:43
“I can make ANYONE passionate about exercise” with Bevan James Eyles
Today’s guest is a good friend and one of my Group Fitness role models, Bevan James Eyles. Bevan has been a world leading Instructor for a LONG time and one of the things I love most about him is that he still has just as much passion and gets ...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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48:50
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Every Fitness Instructor NEEDS to Know About This
The fitness industry has just had a big shake up and if you aren't yet across it, you NEED to be because it's a complete game changer for instructors!On the podcast today, the tables are turned and Will is being interviewed by guest host...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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38:15
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Accept No Limitations with Laura Ellis
We talk about diversity in fitness a lot, and that applies to culture, ethnicity, body shape, and age. But it also relates to disabilities and physical limitations, too.Today’s podcast guest is Laura Ellis, a SH1FT Instructor. A...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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32:23
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